The Small Business Association of Michigan's Small Business Weekly Podcast

Michael W. Rogers
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"The Small Business Association of Michigan's Entrepreneurial Insights" every week presents a dynamic audio interview from a top-notch expert on entrepreneurial success. Hear great tips and advice on how to be a more effective small business owner. The program is hosted and produced by the Small Business Association of Michigan's Vice President Communications Michael Rogers

  1. 19H AGO

    The sweet scent of small business success

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Tanya Thompson, owner and founder of The Aroma Labs, honored by Michigan Celebrates Small Business as a Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year. Her business offers personalized scent creation experiences and corporate events. A collaboration with Pure Michigan resulted in four seasonal fragrances: Fresh, Harvest, Snow, and Awakening, sold in roller bottles, room sprays, and candles. Tanya emphasized the unique, family-friendly experiences her stores provide, encouraging customers to connect through scent. "We provide a unique experience, an opportunity for you to connect with yourself, and you to connect with the people that you brought to The Aroma Labs with you," she says. "It's pretty special what we're doing, and I love to keep moving it forward." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    12 min

  2. JAN 13

    Southeast Michigan distillery crafts best-in-world whiskeys

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Christi Lower, founder of Highline Spirits, selected by Michigan Celebrates Small Business as a Michigan SBDC Best Small Business for 2025. She discusses her craft distillery's focus on blending and special finishing whiskey, which has earned multiple national and international awards, including two Best in Class whiskeys in 2025. "It is really important that people consume safely and responsibly," she says. "We don't offer shots, we don't create an environment that supports that, either in our tasting rooms and then also on our marketing materials. It's always important to have legal drinking age adults represented that are very clearly grown ups, and then use language that's appropriate for an adult to be enjoying our spirits. So it's important that we market and then also create environments where people are drinking responsibly." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    16 min

  3. JAN 6

    The importance of personal branding and real interactions in an AI marketing world

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Kim Bode, owner of 8THIRTYFOUR, recognized by Michigan Celebrates Small Business as a Women-Owned Small Business of the Year. Her firm specializes in the fractional CMO model and offers soft skills training through 8THIRTYFOUR Schools. Bodie highlights the importance of real, unpolished interactions in a world dominated by AI. "The best idea is an idea that comes from you," she says. "It's not going to be something that comes from AI, and whatever they create out there. You still have to personalize and you still have to make it relevant to what you do, or your  industry, your business, whatever it is. So I think it's a great tool to get you started on stuff. I use it for research all the time, but then I also fact check it, because you know, just a lot of stuff can go wrong." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    16 min

  4. 12/31/2025

    Design and brand experience as a key element of small business success

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Rachel Nelson, CEO and principal designer of Concetti, a Detroit-based interior design strategy studio, recognized as a Michigan Celebrates Small Business's Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year for 2025. Concetti specializes in interior design and brand experience, emphasizing co-creation with clients. "Design is often thought of as frivolous or something that would be nice to have, but I love to argue and educate that design is problem solving," she says. "Design is being strategic and intentional, and starting with a hypothesis, how might this new location help me reach my business goals, of my revenue goals of x, my employment goals of y, because that's how things should be viewed." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    12 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    How AI will help your small business punch above its weight class

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Michael Weinberger, owner of Proactive Technology Management. They are VIP members of the Small Business Association of Michigan. He discusses his company's 18-year history of serving small businesses with MSP support and full-stack software development, including AI and data analytics. Weinberger notes AI's potential to enhance business efficiency. "We are at an opportunity where AI is going to allow organizations to punch above their weight class," he says. "That is impactful on the small to medium size business community because it allows them to respond as if they are a larger enterprise than they are, whether it's proposal generation or streamlining processes to respond to client issues, whether it's their order to cash process in manufacturing, whether it's their reporting and aggregation in the private equity space in order to create reports. I think that AI is going to continue to allow us to do more with less, and it certainly has impacted how I run my business." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    11 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    Customer service pushes this salon to be an elite small business

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Jerad Rushlow, owner of Jarad Anthony Salon and an Elite Member of the Small Business Association of Michigan. Rushlo discusses his background in the beauty industry, explaining how his family started their business in the early 1970s and how he eventually separated and rebranded his own full-service salon and spa. "The key to success for us is, hands down, the customer service," he says. "You can go get a hair service anywhere, you can get your nails painted, you can get a pedicure wherever you want to go. But what are the extra things that a service provider is willing to do to gain your trust and gain that respect so you want to come back and see this person more often? So, we do a lot of little extra things in our business that attract people to come back a little more often. Here's a little bit of wine during your services that's complimentary, we have nice tea, we do hand massages when your color's processing – little things like that to just amplify the service."  The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    12 min

  7. 11/17/2025

    Her customers are up-in-the-air but not her business plan

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Christina VanDam, owner of Zeal Aerial Fitness in Grand Rapids, winner of a 2025 Micro Business Award from Michigan Celebrates Small Business. She discusses her journey from being a public school teacher to founding an aerial fitness studio that offers classes in silks, hoop, hammock, bungee, pole and aerial yoga, catering to diverse age groups. "If you're going to the YMCA, you're running on a treadmill or lifting weights, and we're not that kind of place," she says. "You use your whole body for your workout. I think what a lot of people don't realize is that aerials burn quite a bit of calories. It is still quite a new, new thing in the fitness industry, but there have been studies done that say that doing an hour of aerial silks can be equivalent to doing a three mile run." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    10 min

  8. 11/14/2025

    Environmentally-friendly shipping pallets power growth for this two-decade-old small business

    On today's program, Michael Rogers talks with Mo Alakoli, CEO of PALLETCO. The company has been selected as a member of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. Founded in 2003, the company employs eco-friendly practices, ensuring pallets are repurposed for biofuel, animal bedding or mulch at the end of their life cycle. "We try to be as green as possible, given that we're a smaller, family owned company that has scaled a lot in the last five years, we're always trying to catch up to that green initiative," he says. "But a pallet is a very environmentally friendly product." The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan's small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We're located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol. Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own.  Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it! (music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)

    9 min
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"The Small Business Association of Michigan's Entrepreneurial Insights" every week presents a dynamic audio interview from a top-notch expert on entrepreneurial success. Hear great tips and advice on how to be a more effective small business owner. The program is hosted and produced by the Small Business Association of Michigan's Vice President Communications Michael Rogers

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